


Don't Call Me Baby

by orphan_account



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Prostitution, Angst, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Prostitution
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-07
Updated: 2013-11-21
Packaged: 2017-12-31 18:20:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1034889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Uh, are you okay?”</p><p>A voice from the mouth of the alley cuts through Rin's thoughts. His stomach grumbles, but the thought of food makes him sick. A potential client is standing at the front of the alley, and Rin can't so much as turn his face towards him.</p><p>“Fine, sweetheart,” He takes a chance and pushes back against the wall, back to his feet. “Just fine.”</p><p>“Ah, good. I just heard a noise... I thought someone fell.”</p><p>Rin smirks, shaking his head. Not a john after all, then. A bleeding heart. He would be of no help to Rin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the kinkmeme prompt here: http://iwatobiswimclub.dreamwidth.org/893.html?thread=783229

He's holding a cigarette to his lips, slouched and leaning against the side of a building. The night's cool – it's fall and he doesn't own a jacket. He's cold, but that's not the only reason he's shivering. 

Rin's sick. His nose is runny, his throat is raw and he's barely got a voice to speak. It's been days since he's had a proper meal, and weeks since he's slept in the same room twice. He doesn't have enough money for booze, let alone the cigarette in his hand, and though the johns continue to approach him, he hasn't had work since he got sick. 

Rin inhales, taking the cig down from his mouth and letting his arm drop to his side. He looks up, trying to see stars, but his vision is obscured by the roof and by clouds. A sudden wave of dizziness overcomes him, and he slips sideways, knocking into a trashcan before sliding down the wall to rest on his haunches. 

Fuck.

The cigarette falls to the pavement, and he manages salvage it from the damp ground but does not put it to his lips. His head is spinning and he feels nauseous. Even moving his head to see if the crash of the trashcan had attracted any attention is too much for him to handle.

“Uh, are you okay?” 

A voice from the mouth of the alley cuts through Rin's thoughts. His stomach grumbles, but the thought of food makes him sick. A potential client is standing at the front of the alley, and Rin can't so much as turn his face towards him.

“Fine, sweetheart,” He takes a chance and pushes back against the wall, back to his feet. “Just fine.” 

“Ah, good. I just heard a noise... I thought someone fell.”

Rin smirks, shaking his head. Not a john after all, then. A bleeding heart. He would be of no help to Rin.

“I tripped, is all.” He gestures with the hand clutching his cigarette, wishing the smoke was still lit. “Hey, stranger, you got a light?” 

Rin peers at the other guy from under his stringy bangs, muffling a cough into his sleeve. He's backlit by a streetlamp, but Rin can tell the guy's a good size bigger than he is. Good thing Rin hadn't started any trouble... He was notorious for letting his mouth get him into bad situations. In fact, it was precisely how he had ended up on the streets in the first place.

“Ah, no, sorry. I- I don't smoke.” 

“Figures.”

Rin wraps his arms, thinnest that they've been since he was young, around himself and rubs at his biceps for warmth. He's getting dizzy again, and waiting for the stranger to go so he can let his guard down again, maybe curl up and sleep in this dingy little alley. Maybe he'd be picked up by the cops, and spend the night in prison.

At least it'd be warm, Rin thinks.

The stranger still hasn't gone away. In fact, he moves deeper into the alley, closer to Rin. And though Rin doesn't feel outright threatened, he doesn't like being cornered. His hands ball into fists, and drop to his sides.

“Can I help you.” The tone of Rin's voice is unmistakably cold now – false pretences of politeness are reserved for his johns only.

The man stops, holding his hands up as if to show he's unarmed. 

Rin nearly laughs.

He coughs hard instead, almost doubling over, and spits mucous on the ground in front of him. So much for this being a place to sleep.

“I just want to make sure you're okay, is all.”

The stranger is close enough to see, now, though Rin's eyes are watering from his coughing fit, and he barely spares a glance at kind, down-turned green eyes. Yet he begins to advance again, and if Rin didn't know any better he would think the guy did this a lot... approached homeless people in alleys, people who were downtrodden or sick. The way he held himself, his hands, as if to show that he posed no threat... 

“I'm fine.” Suddenly feeling irritated, Rin's head shoots up to glare accusingly at the stranger, about to tell him to fuck off, to stop trying to feel better about himself by interfering in other people's lives, that Rin was not some sort of charity case or fucking wounded animal and that he didn't ask the stranger to make sure he was okay, Rin was doing splendidly, but the moment he looks up all the air rushes out of his lungs and his eyes widen in shock and, oddly enough, fear.

“Makoto?”

The stranger's eyes widen in surprise and he looks confused, but no recognition dawns on his features.

“Yes,” He says doubtfully, a small smile still etched on his mouth even with his uncertainty. “Do I know you?”

Rin's head swirls; everything seems to deflate, to rush towards a pinpoint in Rin's mind, a black, dark place where he holds himself down, unable to breathe, he can't breathe, and he loses his footing, pitches forward onto hands and knees, and vomits on the concrete at his old friend's feet. 

“H-hey! Hey! Are you okay?”

Rin feels hands grip him under the armpits and hoist him up to his knees but he's too weak to push him away; Makoto didn't recognize him yet and he didn't need to know who Rin was, but Rin doesn't have the strength left in him to resist. He doesn't want Makoto to know he's like this, doesn't want Makoto's pity, doesn't want to see those stupid green eyes staring at him sadly anymore.

“Go away,” He whispers dully, coughing as Makoto continues asking him questions, does he have somewhere to go, does he want to go to the hospital, what's his name, what's his name, what's his name?

“Please...” Rin breathes, and Makoto feels his forehead, and the concern on his face makes Rin want to curl up and cry.

“You're really hot,” Makoto says, “You should go to a hospital, you're really not well. I can give you a ride--”

“No.” Rin's eyes, half closed, open to stare hard at Makoto. “I will not go to the hospital.”

That's when Makoto recognizes him. Rin knows it, he sees the recognition in Makoto's eyes, and then just as Rin had predicted comes pity. But before Makoto can solidify his identity, can speak Rin's name, Rin finds sudden strength and shoves Makoto back hard. He slumps back onto his ass, and Makoto, taken by surprise, falls backwards onto the ground as well.

“I don't need your help,” Rin snarls, trying to struggle to his feet even as he has to blink away black spots in his vision, “I never asked for your help. Leave me alone!”

Makoto's back on his feet fairly quickly, and Rin watches him advance towards him once again.

“Let me help you, Rin.”

“I don't need your help!” Rin doubles over, coughing, and ends up on his knees on the pavement again. The light of the streetlamp blocks most of Makoto's features as he gets nearer, and maybe it's his fever playing tricks on him, but as Rin stares up at Makoto's face, he swears he can see stars in the sky above.

After that, Rin sees no more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks to briana and christina for all your various forms of help. i cannot express how much i appreciate it.

When he wakes, the room is light. He doesn't recognize where he is, but he knows he's in a bed and he feels _awful_.

He blinks slowly, getting used to the brightness and tries to figure out where he is and how the fuck he got there. He turns his head slowly, surveying the bedroom he's in, and realizes it looks... familiar. Not like a client's room, nor like a hotel room, but like a room from before... before.

Makoto.

Rin slowly starts to sit up in the bed, but he hears the sounds of footsteps approaching the room and lays down quickly, tucking the blanket over his head. _I need to get out of here_ , he thinks, feigning sleep. Maybe whoever's coming won't stay long and Rin can slip out and maybe Makoto won't try to find him. Maybe Rin can pretend this never happened, and maybe Makoto will go back to forgetting his face.

Rin frowns deeply, feeling tears prick at his eyes. Why did Makoto care? Why did he bring Rin here... wherever here was? Why hadn't he left when Rin told him to go?

The door creaks open slowly as Rin tries his best to steady his breathing, not wanting to have to face Makoto, not wanting to have to explain himself or even so much as look at the other boy. But Makoto marches right to his bedside, tugs down the blanket and places a cool cloth on his forehead.

“He turned over in his sleep... That's a good sign, right? That he's moved?” Makoto sounds anxious, and Rin's stomach lurches with guilt and panic, realizing there's someone else with Makoto. Rin needs to disappear again.

“He isn't dead, Makoto.”

__

Rin's breath freezes in his chest at the sound of the other person's voice, though really, he shouldn't have been surprised.

__

_Haru_.

__

Footsteps approach the bed, and Rin imagines Makoto and Haruka standing over him, peering at him, judging him while he sleeps. Waiting to interrogate him, to find out why he was back, making assumptions that would probably be right. He stiffens, but then there's movement, and then footsteps moving away.

__

“He'll wake up soon, though, shouldn't I wait for him to wake up?”

__

Rin wants to scream at him, scream for him to shut up, stop worrying about him, but they're almost gone and Rin will make his escape then, so he keeps teeth clenched down hard and listens even harder.

__

Haruka doesn't reply to Makoto's question, but his footsteps leave the room, followed after a long pause by Makoto. The door closes.

__

Rin waits for another few moments before he sits, grabbing the cloth off his head and tossing it aside. He is half way out of the bed, in fact, when he realizes he's been stripped to his underwear.

__

“Shit,” he hisses, taking a quick look around the room, confirming that his clothes aren't anywhere to be found. It's then when the dizziness hits him, and he sinks back down onto the bed, shoving his palms against his eyes as the vertigo washes over him.

__

But it doesn't go away, and after a few seconds Rin realizes he's gonna be sick again. He slips off the bed to his hands and knees, searching for somewhere he can puke _besides_ onto the floor but he can't find anything. Helplessness overcomes him. He lets out a quiet sob, hunching over as he vomits onto the floor, fat tears rolling down his cheeks as he gags and nothing comes up. His bang is plastered to his forehead with sweat, but he's too weak to even brush it back from his eyes, and his arms shake from holding him upright. When Rin finally does catch his breath and the nausea eases up, he collapses onto his side, his tears coming freely, unable to move, to get back up into the bed or try to hide evidence that he's woken up. He can only lie there and wait for the telltale sound of Makoto's footsteps approaching the room, returning to check on him.

__

They don't come for some time, however, and Rin eventually slips into a light doze. So when Makoto comes in with a glass of water and a bowl of steaming soup with the intention of _shaking_ Rin awake (rather extreme for Makoto, but right now he's desperate, and there's a saying about desperate times...), he's shocked to see Rin lying on the floor next to a small puddle of vomit.

__

“Rin!” Makoto breathes out a soft groan, shoving the bowl onto the nightstand and falling to his knees beside Rin's limp form. His touch is light as he turns Rin over, giving him a gentle shake to wake him up. When Rin doesn't respond, Makoto shakes Rin again, harder, and this time Rin starts, gasping and pushing at Makoto's hands, trying to get away from the brunette's grip.

__

“It's okay! Rin, you're okay, shh, shh,” Makoto grabs Rin's wrists gently, holding tightly enough to prevent Rin from pushing him away. He pulls Rin's shaking body up away from the mess on the floor and into his chest, his broad arms encircling Rin easily. It's instinct. He's done it a million times for his younger siblings. But Rin, well... Rin doesn't want to be held. He continues to struggle, albeit feebly, and Makoto continues to try to soothe him, taking weak punches and slaps easily, bewildered as to how Rin's mobility had gone unnoticed by both Haru and himself.

__

“Shh, shh, you're okay, now, you're safe. It's okay, you're okay, Rin, you're okay.”

__

“I want to leave,” Rin says quietly into Makoto's shoulder, and Makoto hums in response, shaking his head though Rin wouldn't be able to see it.

__

“You're not well. You passed out in that alley and we're at Haru's now, and you can leave once you're well. But you can't leave now, Rin, not yet.”

__

“Stop...” Rin _huffs_ , and Makoto nearly smiles at the sound, before remembering their circumstances and that he hadn't, in fact, heard anything from Rin since they were kids. But Makoto doesn't stop, no matter how much Rin pleads and yells, and even when Haru appears in the doorway and Rin manages to punch Makoto in the eye, he doesn't let go until Rin collapses against him and goes still. 

__

Even then, he remains skeptical, hesitant to remove his hold from Rin. Haru has disappeared to give Makoto some time to console Rin and get things under control: Haru can be extremely perceptive when he wants to, and Makoto is thankful.

__

After a few moments of quiet, Makoto nudges Rin. 

__

“Rin?”

__

“I want to sleep.”

__

The abruptness with which Rin has changed his mind doesn't quite sit well with Makoto, but they can't exactly stay sitting on the floor of Haru's bedroom for the rest of the night. He sighs.

__

“Let's get you into bed.”

__

He clasps Rin's upper arm, pushing him up and Rin follows obediently, moving of his own accord as Makoto guides him to the bed.

__

“I'm not staying,” Rin mumbles as he pulls the covers over himself, but Makoto doesn't reply, instead asking Rin to sit up and try to drink some water and a few spoonfuls of soup. Of course, Rin resists, but Makoto persists until he is satisfied.

__

“You won't see me ever again,” Rin continues stubbornly, “Once I'm well enough, I'm leaving and you'll forget again. You'll forget me.”

__

Makoto sighs. 

__

“Sleep, Rin. Rest.”

__

The fever must be getting to Rin, Makoto realizes, because he continues to mumble incoherently until Makoto lays the discarded damp cloth on his head, and after a few moments he stills.

__

_Jeez..._

__

Makoto rubs his face wearily, wincing when he touches the eye Rin managed to sock. 

__

Haru returns a little while later, a mop and bucket in hand. Makoto is still perched at the side of Haru's bed beside Rin. His eyes meet Haru's and smiles tiredly. Haru simply looks, before turning to the task of cleaning up the vomit on the floor. Somehow that look makes Makoto feel a little better.

__

However, Rin's babbling has Makoto worried, and even Haru's steadfast gaze can't help ease his mind. He keeps a careful eye on Rin's temperature, waking him now and again to make him drink water and some of the soup broth, and though Makoto had convinced himself they should take Rin to the hospital, his temperature decreases bit by bit and eventually stabilizes at a normal level. 

__

It's nearly morning when Makoto finally lets Haru take over watching Rin, and he moves out reluctantly to try to sleep on the couch. Haru wouldn't let him sleep on the floor of his bedroom even when Makoto insisted, and he only agreed to the couch when Haru threatened him with the bathtub as his alternative.

__

Now it's Haruka who is perched on the bed beside the still-slumbering Rin, wondering how Makoto had the patience to just sit there for hours and not _do_ anything. Haru had gotten the soup ready for Rin, had mopped the floor of the bedroom, had actually taken three separate baths and all the while Makoto had been content to sit at Rin's side, feed him occasionally, and nothing more.

__

So when Rin did finally wake, it was a welcome development for Haru, who was getting bored with simply staring at Rin's unmoving figure.

__

Rin wakes gradually. Haru watches first as he rolls over, then as he pushes blankets down away from his face, and finally as he groans, eyes blinking blearily to stare at Haruka. His face darkens when he realizes where he is, and Haru's jaw sets, prepared for whatever it was Rin would throw at him.

__

Rin slowly sits up, his hand going immediately to his head. Still dizzy? Haru frowns slightly. He watches as Rin glances at him, and then to the side table where his half filled glass of water rests. 

__

“Water?” Haru offers, but Rin doesn't reply, glaring pointedly at the door. Haru refills the water anyway, and offers the glass to Rin, who stares at it for a moment. Haruka thinks he'll accept it, but Rin knocks his hand back, spilling water onto the blanket.

__

“I don't need your help,” Rin insists, but he sinks back down into the pillows, seemingly exhausted with even this small act of resistance. 

__

Haru tuts at the childish reaction, but offers the glass again.

__

“You drank for Makoto,” he intones, and Rin glares at him sharply. “He's out sleeping on the couch. I can get him back in here...”

__

“...Fine.” Rin takes the glass, visibly seething, and Haru once again questions how Makoto had managed to convince him to let Rin stay at Haruka's house, why he hadn't just brought Rin to a hospital. It was because Rin had specifically asked _not_ to be taken to a hospital, and if they wanted Rin to trust them, Makoto would have to listen to him. Haru at the time had wanted to point out that Rin had also specifically asked for Makoto to leave him alone, but Makoto had his mind made up and Haru had assumed it would be less troublesome to just agree.

__

Now, he wasn't so sure.

__

Haru's attention returns to Rin when he waves the glass in front of Haruka's eyes to show that he had cooperated, and he makes a note to tell Makoto that Rin is drinking properly; it's the sort of thing Makoto would like to know. Rin hands the glass over, all the while glaring moodily like all this was Haruka's fault. Haru merely takes the glass, sets it on the table and continues to watch Rin impassively.

__

As the seconds crawl by and Haruka stares, Rin continues to fume. He doesn't want Haruka standing over him, watching him. He hates the silent judgement, knows from the silence that that's what it is, it can only be judgement, and he clenches his fist, wondering how things had changed so damn quickly.

__

Abruptly, Rin tosses the covers off of his half-naked form and climbs out of the bed.

__

“Toilet,” he mutters gruffly, managing to make it to the door before a wave of dizziness hits him, and he grabs the door frame for support. Haru is beside him in an instant, holding his arm to help support his weight. Rin shakes him off, sort of, and continues to stumble down the hall, leaning heavily against the wall, wanting to shove Haruka, to forcibly make him _stop_ trying to _help_ , but the dizziness doesn't seem to be receding. 

__

Rin has to physically bite his tongue to stop himself from saying something to Haru in lieu of a physical strike when they get to the washroom and Haru won't let him lock or even fully close the door. He swears (but not too loudly) all the while he's in there, and when he walks out he purposely shoves by Haru, feeling an infinitesimally small amount of satisfaction from the action. 

__

“Where are my clothes?”

__

The question is tossed over Rin's shoulder as the pair make their way back toward Haru's room, his tone somewhat accusatory. Haru doesn't really care.

__

“We took them off you to wash them,” Haru replies nonchalantly. He pauses for a moment in the hall, eyeing the door to the bathroom. “You should really wash as well.” Haru fixes Rin with a stare. “And take a bath. To relax.”

__

Rin turns, gawking, not sure if he's really hearing Haruka correctly. Suddenly self-conscious, he ducks his head to sniff at his underarms, and wrinkles his nose. Haru's right. When was the last time he had had a proper shower, and not a half-ass convenience store bathroom wash? Rin knows it's been awhile. 

__

Yet accepting more help from Haruka and Makoto isn't something Rin wants to do. He already owes them enough for taking him in when he passed out, for the medicine and the food... Rin begins his mental calculations, forgetting that Haru is standing there waiting for a response.

__

“... I'll get you a towel.” Rin glances at Haru, who spins on his heel and marches to a hall closet before Rin can speak.

__

“Tch.” Rin, still wavering over the decision, runs his hand through his hair. That action alone makes his decision for him; his hair is matted and greasy to the touch. He cringes. Even if he had managed to escape, no john would pick him up without a good wash first.

__

“Fine,” he snaps, snatching the towel from Haruka, who was holding it for Rin to take as if he already knew what Rin would decide. Rin moves into the washroom and Haru catches the door before Rin can shut it, slipping into the room behind him. 

__

Rin stares, barking an abrupt, “Why're you in here?”

__

Haru simply stares, shrugging slightly. 

__

“I don't need your help.” Rin feels sick of saying it, but since they won't _stop trying to help him_ , there's little else he can do.

__

“You do.”

__

“I do not!” Rin wobbles, catching his balance against the wall. Not a very convincing argument, judging by the look Haru is giving him. But he remains stubborn, tugging off his underpants and fumbling with the hand-held shower head as Haru looks on, Rin undeterred by being naked in front of another male. And he thinks he might get away without Haru butting in until he trips over the bathroom stool and sends bottles of shampoo and soap falling to the floor. 

__

Haru is once again there in an instant, guiding Rin to sit on the stool, carefully replacing the bottles and prying the shower head from Rin's hands. Rin sighs, clearly irritated, but allows himself to be moved around and after another few moments of deliberation, surrenders and allows Haru to take over. 

__

With a quick movement, Haru twists the bath faucet so it can fill while Rin is washing in the shower. He then sets the temperature of the shower, directing the spray away from them until he's satisfied that it has warmed up enough for Rin. He's actually surprised when Rin doesn't jump up and try to get away, and it lets him relaxes somewhat, sinking into his routine easily even if it wasn't he himself getting bathed.

__

It's hot at first, when Haru stands behind Rin and slowly introduces the stream of water to his back, but Rin finds himself enjoying the heat. He remains quiet as Haru moves the stream over his head, and he tilts his chin up so the water can run over his face. 

__

If he's going to let this happen, Rin thinks, he won't be ungrateful; if he resists he'll feel worse even after he's repaid their help. But at least this way, he can accept what is being offered, and maybe Haruka would be satisfied with his “good deed” and let Rin get back to his life; maybe this way he wouldn't interfere. Rin thinks this could work for Makoto too, but something tells him Makoto will not let Rin slip back into obscurity so easily.

__

He sighs, trying to keep himself oriented on the chair as Haru pours shampoo into his hands and begins to massage it into his head. The sensation is pleasant, and knowing Haru has no ulterior motives helps him to relax and almost enjoy it. He's actually disappointed when hands leave his scalp and running water replaces them to rinse his hair, but the sensation of cleanliness is second to none. 

__

Haru then disappears for a moment, returning with a wash cloth for Rin. He grabs a bar of soap, lathers the cloth and passes it over Rin's back and neck, then hands it to Rin so he can finish washing himself. 

__

Rin thinks he might just be in heaven.

__

Once he's finished washing himself, the shower is turned back on him; Haru rinsing him off silently. In fact, Haru hasn't spoken since they were out in the hall. Rin finds it awkward but keeps his mouth shut, cooperating once again when Haru helps him to his feet and to climb into the tub. 

__

_Ahh_.

__

Rin sinks down into the tub until his chin is touching the water, the heat soothing his muscles and relaxing him. It's utter bliss. He stretches out as best he can, eyes falling shut, momentarily forgetting Haruka is still standing beside the tub, watching him with that unreadable expression that he had kept from his younger years. He could probably even fall asleep, given enough time. He cups the water, letting it filter through his fingers, cuts through the water with his hand, imagining elementary, imagining the relay that they had won, how happy he had been... His hands fall to his sides.

__

“You're stupid for letting yourself get this sick.”

__

Haru's tone is oddly flat when he speaks, and Rin turns, eyes opening to stare at him, a frown darkening his previously serene expression.

__

“It wasn't my fault, jackass,” Rin replies heatedly, folding his arms. It's true that Haru doesn't know the reality of his situation, but Rin doesn't want to disclose anything that could darken Haruka's or Makoto's view of him further.

__

“It was. You didn't see a doctor.”

__

Rin presses his mouth together into a firm line, looking pointedly away from Haruka. It would be better not to engage. He can't help but swallow, feeling a sad sense of triumph. Haruka had confirmed what Rin had known ever since he recognized Makoto in the alley: that the only thing to come of this interaction was more pain and more judgement from people he had come to view as separate, as apart from this side of Rin's life. He had thought about the boys often, had kept them in a particular place in his mind, and had taken comfort in knowing they remembered him from their elementary school relay. They were untainted by what Rin had become, what Rin had made of himself. 

__

Now, by revealing himself, Rin had sullied their memory of him. His memories of them, too, would be overshadowed by scrutiny. And he had nobody to blame but himself.

__

“You're skinny.” Haru speaks again, after Rin doesn't reply, and offers Rin a towel. “I'll make you some mackerel.”

__

Rin glances down at his body in the tub, at his thin calves and flat stomach. He doesn't take the towel, doesn't so much as glance at Haruka.

__

“I'll leave this here.” Haru lays the towel on the stool where Rin had sat earlier and walks out of the bathroom, leaving the door ajar.

__

Rin sighs. He slips down beneath the water, submerging his head, and wonders whether staying there long enough might present an answer to everything wrong with him. Not long after, he breaks the surface, choking and sputtering from getting water up his nose. 

__

Rin decides from now on to stop searching for solutions in abstract places. What does water know, anyway?

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading, as always! hope you enjoy!

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! this is my first fic in a VERY long time, and my first time with the Free! characters. hope you enjoy!


End file.
